To the Midnight Land
by Demon's Requiem
Summary: It's a world of evil versus good. Sasuke, a Slayer who makes a living hunting angels for their wings, and Naruto, the Angel of Death who will do anything to save him. SasuNaru.


**A/N: **Hey guys, guess who wrote another freaking long SasuNaru oneshot?

Well this is actually my longest yet. Like, seriously. 12K words... -_- And I wrote pretty quickly (for me) too - it only took four days, and that was school days, so. Yeah. Editing was another story, though. xD Basically this is a story of angels, and not-really-demons (angel hunters called Slayers) that I made up during band class, so sue me.

Terms that may be important: Slayer - angel hunter who collects angel wings; Glamour - disguise used by angels to conceal wings from sight, but you can still see their wings in their shadows. Auras - the power an angel gives off (kinda like how you can sense chakra, you can sense auras).

_Disclaimers_: Naruto isn't mine. The glamour stuff isn't all mine, inspiration from Daughter of Smoke and Bone (awesome book, you should all go read it). Title isn't mine either, it's from a song called Midnight Land by Empire. Pretty good song, sorta relates to this oneshot and it kinda sums up Naruto and Sasuke's relationship as a whole. (I actually listened to it after this oneshot was written, but I liked the title xD) Rated M for language and stuff.

* * *

To the Midnight Land

* * *

"_I'm in position. I can sense the target," _Karin's voice whispered through his earpiece.

Sasuke pressed his back against the brick wall. It was the only thing that separated him from thin air and a ten-story drop to the unyielding concrete below – not that it would kill him, but still. His legs tingled uncomfortably beneath him, but he didn't change positions. "Juugo?"

"_In place and ready to subdue."_

"Suigetsu."

"_Roger that, Boss. I'll start pummeling this man whenever you give the count." _His voice was as sarcastic as ever.

Sasuke nodded to himself and closed his eyes. Now all they had to do was wait for their victim to show up.

They were on a Hunt.

Hunts were held monthly, usually. It was a time of harvest, a time to show off your power. If you were successful on a Hunt and retrieved the largest trophy, you would receive Orochimaru's benefits. If you weren't, then you waited another month to test your luck again. Because Orochimaru only wanted one thing: angel wings.

They came in at ridiculously high prices on the black market, and of course Orochimaru was the dealer. Even the lowest-ranked angel's feathers produced life-saving antidotes, and Sasuke could only imagine what the highest-ranked—the archangels—wings would give. Immortality, perhaps. He knew if Orochimaru had been mortal, he would've chased after immortality indefinitely. Unfortunately for the angels, Orochimaru was anything but human.

Sasuke was Orochimaru's favorite. If not for his unique history, then for his hunting skills. He almost always won the monthly Hunt, and his team shared the benefits, which included pardon from the weekly missions most were assigned. Sasuke, however, enjoyed the missions…because it meant more time to hunt and kill angels.

He was disrupted from his thoughts when Karin's voice thrummed in his ear once again. "_Incoming target! Approaching at a fast rate!_"

"Suigetsu, go!" he ordered, tensing his legs.

"_With pleasure._"He could almost hear Suigetsu's smirk before the sound of flesh meeting flesh echoed through the earpiece.

Angels could be attracted through many methods, depending on their job. Some through sickness, some through death. Most, though, were required to help humanity and rescue those in direct danger. With an angel nearby, it wouldn't resist this bait—fights were easy to break up, but little would the angel know that what was waiting for it was a trap.

A hum buzzed through the air, and Sasuke half-stood. The angel was approaching, and by the vibration he felt in his bones, this one was going to be powerful.

"_Sasuke!_" Juugo shouted, and instantly Sasuke threw himself over the wall, dropping ten stories easily and landing catlike on his feet. The glowing figure before him halted abruptly and turned, an almost panicked expression on its normally ethereal face. This one had dropped its human guise to help the cowering man in the corner of the alley, and now it was trapped. Sasuke was blocking the only way out to the streets, and Suigetsu and Juugo were behind it, ready to subdue. Karin had dutifully tossed the aura net over the roof of the two buildings that made up the alley, which prevented the angel from escaping with its wings.

Oh, its _wings._

He gave himself a moment to appreciate this particular angel's wings. They spread from wall to wall, at least twelve feet, and they weren't even fully extended. Each lavender-tipped feather glowed with the same soft light the angel's skin emitted and seemed to shiver in unison as the angel's fear grew. Beautiful.

The angel itself wasn't bad looking. Sasuke always avoided assigning a gender to an angel (even when one was obviously female, such as this one) because to give it a gender was to acknowledge that it was on the same level as him. But that wasn't true, because it was the hunted, and he was the hunter. It was the prey, and him the predator. He was a Slayer.

The angel's mouth opened suddenly and out thrummed a high, piercing note. It was a call for help, but no help was going to reach it in time—not tonight. Not under Sasuke's watch.

He flashed forward, figure blurring as he raced toward the angel. Startled, it fled toward Juugo and Suigetsu. In that instant, Juugo had his arm tight around the angel's neck and Suigetsu had turned to putty, snaking through the angel's wings and holding it tight. Its eyes were wide and unblinking as Sasuke approached at a slower rate, drawing his silver sword out with a neat _shling!_ It was sharp; he had made sure of that. One slice would be the end of those beautiful, cursed wings.

Sasuke smirked, and that was the only warning the angel got.

In seconds, piercingly high shrieking shattered through the neighborhood. Sasuke watched, dispassionately cold, as the angel collapsed on the ground, its golden glow slowly pulsing once before fading out. Its long, violet hair curled around its pale face, and bloody stumps were all that was left of its wings.

"We're done," Sasuke said, nodding to Suigetsu and Juugo, who each picked up a wing. They staggered under the weight—angel wings were notoriously heavy, a paradox considering the fragility of angels themselves. Karin dropped down beside them, aura net spread and rippling.

"Put them here," she instructed, and after the precious burden had been released, she wrapped the wings in the net. Instantly, the wings shimmered and vanished, turning invisible. "There. You can have it back."

"Thanks, Ms. I-Don't-Do-Anything," Suigetsu muttered, grunting under the weight.

"Excuse me?" Karin snapped, glasses glinting as she placed her hands on her hips. "I actually _know _when the prey is coming, slug-face, so you can just—"

"Guys," Juugo interrupted them, a weary look on his face. He glanced at Sasuke. "Are we going to leave the angel?"

"Same as always," Sasuke replied, turning heartlessly away. "Let the authorities find it."

There was a slight hesitation, but as usual, Team Hebi followed his orders. They had to. He was their leader, and the benefits of being on his team far outweighed his coldblooded attitude.

Sasuke had long lost the ability to feel anything but vengeance. He had lost it the day he had been cast from heaven, torn of his wings and thrown out by his very own brother.

And the worst of it all—

He had been turned human.

* * *

No one had been surprised when Team Hebi won the Hunt yet again. Some shot nasty glares in Sasuke's direction, but most had gotten used to the disappointment. Sighing, they dispersed after Orochimaru's announcement, scattering to drink away their dissatisfaction or immerse themselves in work once more.

"Sasuke." Orochimaru's slither cut easily over the noise in his den. Sasuke turned, eyes unreadable, to greet his Master.

Orochimaru was, to sum it up in one word, despicable. Besides dealing out angel wings like they were drugs, he also ran a smuggling industry and a laboratory that specialized in children. It was nasty, and the only reason Sasuke put up with him was because he had more power—he, unlike Sasuke, was not human.

Orochimaru had Fell. The different between him and Sasuke was that Sasuke had been exiled, while Orochimaru had willingly disobeyed the higher ups and done terrible, terrible things, resulting in his Fall. Even now, he took revenge on the angels by tearing off their wings and preventing them from ever returning to heaven again, leaving them stranded on the mortal plane—not that it mattered, since most died of shock within a day. Sasuke simply went along with it because it allowed him to release his anger toward Itachi (_one day, I will destroy you_).

Perhaps, Orochimaru was what humans called a demon.

Regardless, Sasuke's skin crawled whenever he was near Orochimaru, and it was no different today.

"Good job, Sasuke. This new pair of wings was truly a prize." Orochimaru's abnormally long tongue licked around his mouth, desire gleaming in his yellow eyes.

"Was it now?" he answered, monotone.

"Oh, what is this? Does Sasuke not know the value of the gift he brought me?" Orochimaru sifted around Sasuke, pale hand lingering a bit too long on his shoulder. Sasuke barely restrained the urge to shudder. Despite Orochimaru having Fallen and lost his wings, he still retained immeasurable power, enough to use magic and glamours. "Maybe I should tell him."

"Do what you wish."

"They were Hyuuga wings, my boy, _Hyuuga._ That clan plagued me for centuries in heaven." Orochimaru's eyes darkened. "To think you managed to capture their prime heir, too. Truly a prize."

Sasuke was silent. In the end, to him, they would always be just wings.

(_or so he thought_)

Orochimaru was still speaking. "Because of your wonderful gift, I have decided to give you a reward! You will take today off, Sasuke, and go enjoy the outside world. You have been looking quite pasty lately, and there is never such a thing as too much sun."

"What?" Sasuke hissed, anger sparking for the first time that day in his eyes. "You can't _order _me to take a break."

"Oh, but I can." His Master's aura rose, until the pressure was literally weighing down on Sasuke's shoulders and causing his bones to creak. Silence settled in the den as the occupants turned as one to see what had caused their Master's terrible aura to rise so significantly. "Shall I make you?"

He gritted his teeth for a long moment, eyes unwavering from Orochimaru's. Finally, he broke eye contact and jerked his head away, knowing that he had lost. "I'll go."

"Good boy." As Sasuke headed, stiff-backed and furious, toward the entrance, Orochimaru's lilting voice trailed after him. "Who knows, you might find something interesting!"

* * *

Life as a human was similar to life living in hell. His human body was so _weak,_ compared to the strength and power he had once had as an angel.

(_and though he wouldn't admit it, the thing he missed most of all was flying – it was just too bad that even the strongest of angels couldn't grant the power to fly, because that was reserved for them and them alone; a world he was no longer privy to_)

The worst thing Itachi could've done was made him human…and all for a promotion to rise higher in the ranks. Sasuke gritted his teeth. He couldn't even die as a human—of course he was pervious to the mortal threats any human might receive, but die of old age? No. His punishment was to suffer, and time had seen that the rest of his clan had already perished on the earth, thanks to madness or suicide.

He was the only one left.

Itachi would die for what he did to him.

_Mark my words, the end is coming soon._

* * *

And then, he saw the angel.

* * *

It was gorgeous. Gorgeous and inhuman.

The humans around it obviously knew that as well, and gave it a wide berth, subconsciously, in the crowd. Even glamoured, the angel gave off an unearthly thrum of power, glowing subtly beneath that tan, sun-kissed skin. The angel seemed to be looking for something, and its eyes scanned the crowd impatiently.

Sasuke couldn't help but stare. No angel he had seen matched this angel's beauty, not even when he had been in heaven and was un-exiled. No one had such golden hair or such pure eyes, the color of the sky itself—almost like the Maker had taken a piece of the sky and placed it in the angel's eyes, the most priceless gift of all, and woven sunshine for its hair. Three scars were symmetrical on each cheek, dark as kohl, and Sasuke wondered if perhaps it had been grafted with fox characteristics when it was made.

One glance at the angel's shadow confirmed his suspicions. It was indeed an angel—while glamour and magic could hide an angel's wings from sight, the shadow always told the truth. Wings fluttered, folded tightly to its back, and Sasuke felt the strangest longing to see what this angel's wings looked like.

Not to take them and destroy them, feather by delicate feather, but to simply marvel in its stunning glory.

A second passed (_how had all that been only a second, ticking by briefly as a breath?_) and the crowd submerged again, blocking the creature from view. Sasuke sucked in air he hadn't realized he was missing, and hurriedly pressed forward, edging toward the busy crowd in the marketplace. A few minutes later, the crowd thinned again, and he scanned them eagerly to look for the angel—only to find that it was long gone.

Bitter disappointment coursed through him. He didn't even know why he was feeling this way. It was only an angel, right?

Only an angel.

* * *

Late into the night, back at Orochimaru's den, he still could not get the image of the angel out of his mind. They were seared onto his eyelids, and the angel's visage appeared every time he blinked. Frankly, it was getting annoying.

"Another drink," he demanded, slamming his hand down on the bar built into Orochimaru's den. "Now!"

"Jeez, what got your panties in a twist?" Suigetsu's familiar drawl crept around him as the white-haired man (_if he could be called that_) seated himself beside him. He nodded at the frazzled looking bartender. "A devil's blood, please."

Suigetsu was an…interesting individual. He was a result of one of Orochimaru's child experiments—the few that survived, anyway. His genes had been stretched and replaced with who-knew-what, until Suigetsu could manipulate his shape and turn into a water-like substance at will. It was a pretty useful technique, except it left him vulnerable to dehydration and lightning, and it tied him permanently (as in forever) to Orochimaru. Juugo and Karin were similar cases; Juugo with superhuman strength, and Karin with the ability to sense auras.

Regardless of their inhuman characteristics, Sasuke had no patience for them at that moment. "Go'way," he mumbled, eyes turned sullenly ahead.

Of course, Suigetsu didn't leave. It was never that easy. "Oh, what is this? Is the famous Sasuke sulking? What? You still mad that Orochimaru finally pulled his Master card out on you? Is that it? Or maybe you're finally repenting over killing all those angels! There're at least five hundred lives weighing on your shoulders, you know. Divine lives. Guess you're going straight to hell after this—"

"Like I want to go back to heaven with those angelic bastards," snarled Sasuke, grabbing the drink the bartender placed in front of him and knocking it back. It seared his throat, and he welcomed it. If only it could burn away the angel.

"That's true, but I wouldn't know, now would I? Never been there in the first place." Suigetsu grinned and leisurely picked up his own drink, sipping it slowly. It was fun riling Sasuke up, especially when he was somewhat intoxicated—he didn't have the will to fight back.

"You wouldn't like it. Full of white and fluff and nothingness. Utterly boring."

(_or don't you mean utterly captivating_)

"Uh huh, sure," agreed his companion. "So now are you ready to tell me what's wrong?"

A pleasant buzz was surrounding Sasuke's mind by now. He had lost count of the drinks he'd downed, which was probably a bad sign, but it didn't matter. He had to get the angel out of his mind. Maybe…Maybe talking to Suigetsu would help. "I saw an angel today."

"No shit," Suigetsu said amiably, "or did you forget the wings we captured this morning?"

"No, I saw an _angel_."

"…Okay, I admit it, I'm lost."

"He had the most beautiful eyes," Sasuke muttered, seemingly lost in his own world. His black eyes were blurred and his senses definitely less than sharp, which was most likely why Orochimaru managed to sneak up on him without him noticing. "Sunshine-yellow hair, tan skin, and the strangest markings on his face."

"Markings, you say?" Orochimaru leaned into his field of vision, hair falling in a smooth curtain beside his face. Suigetsu took one look at their Master and skittered away, grumbling excuses about Karin and some card game he'd missed.

Sasuke stared into Orochimaru's eyes, one eyebrow cocked haughtily. "What about it?"

"Were they fox markings?" Orochimaru slid into the seat Suigetsu had occupied not seconds before, eyes gleaming with interest. The first stirrings of unease swirled in Sasuke's gut, but he paid little attention to it.

"What if they were?"

"Gold hair and blue eyes, with fox markings. Out in the open daylight…" Orochimaru trailed off. "What could he be doing here? The daytime isn't his realm."

"Do you know him?" Sasuke leaned forward, strangely excited. Who cared about erasing the angel from his eyes, when he could know more about him?

Normally, now was when Orochimaru would play his word games that he liked so much. For some reason, tonight his brows were uncharacteristically furrowed, and he seemed deep in thought. "I've seen him before in heaven, once or twice. I remember how odd his appearance was, when his job was so different—complete opposite of his looks. The Angel of Death, we called him. He harvests souls and reaps them, but usually only at night. I don't know why they would send him in broad daylight."

"Angel of Death?" Sasuke echoed, unconsciously trying to match the sunny image of the angel with the notion of death, cold and unwelcome.

"We _have _had an increase in angel deaths recently. Maybe they wanted him to come scout out the area and see what's causing it all. It would explain why they would send _him_, since this is technically his domain." A slimy chuckle slid from Orochimaru's pale lips. "Oh, this is so interesting, the games the angels play. This is our chance, Sasuke! Our chance to get revenge at those angels for casting us out of their paradise and into this drab, miserly world."

Sasuke's voice was dry compared to Orochimaru's hiss. "And how is this Angel of Death going to help us achieve our vengeance?"

"We could destroy him, but that is likely to get us killed. Better yet, we can use him to climb back into heaven. What a chance! The Angel of Death is the only doorway back, you know. He is the only one that controls the gateways—the gateways of death." Orochimaru strokes Sasuke's cheek, a serpentine smile gracing his lips. "Sasuke, my boy, you can achieve it all. You are my masterpiece. Find this angel, and destroy him from the inside. Make him yours. Can you do that?"

Drunk on alcohol and the dizzying promise of revenge on Itachi, Sasuke nodded, breaths coming quicker.

He didn't even notice that when he blinked, the angel no longer appeared on the back of his eyelids. And he definitely didn't notice that he had long since stopped referring to the angel as 'it'.

(_when did you become something more_)

* * *

It was only when he was staggering outside in the harsh morning sunlight the next day, hangover pounding furiously in his head, did he realize just how bad of an idea this was.

First of all, Sasuke wasn't a grunt. He sawed off the angels' wings, and that was it—his subordinates did the actual dirty work. So why was he out scouting whoever this angel was? What if the angel didn't come back? Then a whole day would've been wasted. And secondly, just what exactly was he supposed to do? Approach the angel boldly and say, "Oh hey there, I heard you're _the _Angel of Death, and you're scouting out those angel-killers that have been plaguing us recently. Why don't we be friends? I can help you find them, because, you know, obviously I'm not one. So we're friends? Good! Now take me to heaven so I can kill Itachi!"

No, that didn't seem like such a good idea.

Scowling and cursing Orochimaru in his head, Sasuke let his feet carry him wherever they wanted to. Orochimaru could go and capture an angel all by himself. See if Sasuke helped him.

He ended up circling the intersection where he'd first seen the angel over and over, hangover slowly receding. By the time the sun set, the angel still had not shown up. Angry and annoyed, Sasuke stalked back to the hideout and sulked.

The next day, he was forced out again. The same thing happened. He came back and sulked some more.

The third day, something changed.

He was in the middle of making the hundred-and-fiftieth circle around the streets when a sudden impulse gripped him. Abandoning his route, he ducked away from the crowded street and weaved through the alleys, focused on following the feeling in his chest. If there was one thing he'd kept from his time in the skies, it was his sense of premonition—after all, it hadn't failed him yet.

Sasuke emerged from the brick labyrinth in an utterly secluded street. It was far from the marketplace—rather, it was in the part of town where factories had once reigned, proud and tall, but were now abandoned and falling apart. The factories towered over both sides of the cracked road, hemming him in, and their shadows cast the entire street into a cool gray depth. He searched the surrounding area with his eyes, not quite sure what he was looking for, only knowing that he would _know _when he found it.

And then he saw it, and he _knew._

At the very end of the street was a single isolated tower. Perhaps it had been a water tower once upon a time, but now the roof was dented and caved in, metal threatening to buckle. But that wasn't what Sasuke was looking at—the angel on top of the tower drew his attention and captivated him.

(_because oh goodness he had never seen wings before that stole his breath and scattered his mind with their terrible grace_)

The angel stood, silhouetted, against the midday sun. His head was tilted back and his arms spread, like he was embracing the sunshine. His back was to Sasuke, with his wings spread to their outmost length on either side of his arms.

They stretched over thirty feet long, and even from this distance Sasuke could see the brilliant glow the wings emitted. Each feather must've shone with light, and the effect was a luminous display of power. Angel wings appeared very light and fine, effortless because the angels felt no weight, but when detached from an angel, they grew heavy as if someone had doused it with water. Sasuke felt something tug in his heart as he remembered, wistfully, the feeling of wind in his hair and brushing through his feathers as he soared in the sky, caressing his face and buoying his body—

No. The time of angels was long past, and he had to remember _that_. There was no place in heaven for him anymore.

While he had been lost in remembrance, the angel had lowered his arms. Sasuke glanced back up again just in time to see those wings beat up once, then flash down. Instantly the angel was a dozen feet in the air, and a hot gust of wind buffeted the street. He could only watch mutely as the angel gave three more beats, before vanishing beyond his sight in the clear blue sky.

He decided then and there that he hated this Angel of Death… because he was everything Sasuke had been.

(_no, you're wrong – he's better, better than you ever were_)

* * *

Orochimaru interrogated him again that night.

"He was in the abandoned sector?"

"Yes."

"No one saw him?"

"No one was there besides me."

"He must've been confident then. He was always cocky," Orochimaru muttered. He looked up again then, yellow eyes nailing Sasuke to the wall behind him. "Was he carrying anything?"

"Not that I could tell—"

"No bags? No case, or jar to hold souls in?" he pressed. Sasuke shook his head. "I was right then. That angel always collects his souls. Perhaps it could have been coincidence the first time he left without the dead, if they were clever enough to evade him, which few have done. The second time, however… they wouldn't be able to escape him twice. He must be scouting this area out." Rather than the information displeasing Orochimaru, however, he sounded like satisfied, like the cat who had swallowed the canary. Or rather, more appropriately in this case, the snake who had caught the mouse.

Orochimaru, seeming preoccupied, stood and gazed into the depths of the large cavern he called his den. Fellow Slayers were scattered throughout the space, playing cards or scanning the mission board for new assignments. "We cannot ignore this chance, Sasuke. This is our opportunity! You must get close to this angel, understand? At any cost."

_Even my own life? _Sasuke thought, but he didn't voice it. Of course his life wouldn't matter to Orochimaru's. He might have been angel once upon a time, but he hadn't been an archangel, the highest rank of all angels, and that was the only thing Orochimaru cared about, seeing how he too had once been an archangel. But that was Before, and this was After. Nothing mattered here.

"Yes, my Master," he replied instead, voice monotone. He gave an ironic little bow, hand pressed over his heart. "I will retrieve our vengeance."

* * *

Time skipped forward again. Sasuke began measuring days in units of '_when he saw the angel_' and _'when the angel wasn't there_'.

The most frustrating thing of all was the fact that he would always follow his intuition and see the angel fly away, as if he was taunting him with his glorious wings. never allowing him to get close. It was like a museum. Worship with your eyes only, please, no touching.

And the more the angel (unintentionally) taunted him, the angrier Sasuke got. The angrier Sasuke got, the cleverer he became—or maybe the right word was desperate.

He began to notice that the angel had a pattern. Every five days-without-an-angel, he would appear on land. Then he would vanish for two days-without-an-angel, and show up only to fly away for another repeat of the cycle. Sasuke concluded that he must be scouting during the two day period, just not where Sasuke was looking.

He made a map of the angel's pathways. It appeared the angel enjoyed the view from the derelict water tower, though he did take off a couple of times from the spire on the church. He mostly traveled through the marketplace that Sasuke was monitoring, always searching for something.

Six cycles later, Sasuke developed a plan.

* * *

It involved crowds, the façade of a normal human, and a mortal's clumsiness, which would have to be faked. He supposed he could've asked Orochimaru to cast a glamour on him, but honestly, Orochimaru's magic felt disgusting. (If the Angel of Death had been created with fox genes, then Orochimaru must have been endowed with snakes.) It was as if thousands of creepy reptiles were slithering their way over your skin and through your hair over and over and _over_. He couldn't stand it.

Pretending to be human was easier. He had lived almost a century by now, after all. In the beginning, it had been difficult. His features were too pretty, and he carried himself with a smooth gracefulness that no human could imitate. His eyes were black and cold, automatically elevating himself above their status. It had taken many lessons by Orochimaru's pet assistant, Kabuto, before Sasuke finally understood what it meant to be human.

Now, dressed in a suit with a briefcase in hand (loosely latched), he was ready to implement his plan. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and listened to the internal ticking of his own clock. Five seconds. Four. Three two one—

Sasuke's eyes shot open as his bones trembled, humming with the power of the angel as he descended to earth. At the start of the cycle, the angel appeared at eleven o'clock exactly. A.M., no excuses. Placing a gentle smirk on his lips, he stepped into the busy street and began walking.

He walked purposefully against the flow. People moved aside him with a gentle murmur of apology, gaze focused on the ground or their phones, whichever was easier. His eyes scanned the clumps coming toward him, looking for the now-familiar sunshine hair or a glimpse of glowing skin.

In the end, it wasn't very difficult to miss.

The angel certainly was making no effort to fit in, unlike Sasuke. He was _gliding _along the street, feet a centimeter above the ground, eyes scanning the rooftops of the skyscrapers towering around them. Almost like a stroll in the park, breeze ruffling through his hair without a care in the world. It pissed Sasuke off.

He strode purposefully toward the angel, who still hadn't noticed his approach. Glaring down at the sidewalk, Sasuke created an angry, frustrated air around him (which really wasn't that difficult) and marched right into the angel's personal bubble.

(_for a brief second, he forgot to breathe, because he realized why the humans had been avoiding the angel—the power, the power, the __**power**_)

His stumble was real, as he was buffeted by the sheer godliness of this creature before him. He crashed into the angel, and his briefcase clunked on the ground, papers scattering in the wind like butterflies.

"Are you okay?" the angel asked. Sasuke looked into wide, guileless blue eyes, and could barely manage a nod.

With a beaming smile that nearly blinded his dark eyes, the angel handed back his papers (mysteriously collected). "I apologize for not noticing that you were in my path. If you will excuse me."

And then the angel walked away, leaving a stunned Sasuke behind.

* * *

Later, Sasuke berated himself endlessly for falling for the angel's charm. Of course he should've expected the radiance of the angel! He should've prepared more; prepared for the power, prepared for the beauty.

He would not fail again.

* * *

Sasuke knocked into the angel for a second time. At first, the angel picked up his papers with a sweet smile and prepared to walk away, but then he doubled back and stared at Sasuke. "You again?"

"Me again," he confirmed.

"Coincidence must really be chasing your tail, huh," the angel commented, laughing (_like bells_). Sasuke pretended that he understood the angel's description—being in heaven tended to leave the celestial beings a little outdated on the language aspect of humanity. "I apologize deeply once more."

"No problem." Both nodded to each other, and walked away.

The next cycle, Sasuke did it again.

This time, the angel caught him by his shoulders (_searing hands burning with a fire humans could not stand_) before he could 'stumble'. "Aha, I remember, see? Have you been stalking me?" He had a glimmer in his deep eyes; maybe amusement, if angels could have that.

"What if I was?" Sasuke answered playfully, searching the angel's face. Angels usually masked their feelings exceptionally well, but for some reason, this one preferred to keep them displayed on his face.

"I would ask why, of course."

"And if I said it was your beauty that attracted me?" Sasuke wasn't quite sure why he was saying what he was—he didn't get _attracted _to angels, for goodness' sake. Did he?

The angel seemed genuinely surprised. "My beauty? It's nothing extraordinary." This time, his laugh was self-conscious, leaving Sasuke wondering if truly the angel didn't know, or if he was merely attempting a hand at modesty. His intuition nudged at the former. _Humble to top it off. Isn't this angel just full of surprises?_

Then again, Sasuke hadn't talked to angels for such a long, long time. After his exile, he had preferred to murder the angels rather than communicate with them. He didn't like hearing what they had to say. He despised their language, the one he could no longer understand as a human. Only when angels switched to the humans' language could he understand, and it angered him to no end.

(_you had to take that too from me, didn't you, Itachi_)

"You're interesting too. Intriguing," Sasuke continued, brushing aside his thoughts. He had a mission, after all.

"I can say the same of you." The angel smiled, and this time Sasuke managed to stand its heat. "No one has sought me out before you."

"What do you say we go somewhere quieter?" Sasuke took the plunge, and risked a glance at the angel's shadow. Before, his wings had been folded peacefully behind against his back. At Sasuke's question, they rustled a little, clearly unsettled. _Shit, I shouldn't have asked today, maybe waited till the next cycle—_

"I would like that."

Sasuke looked up sharply, confused, as the angel went on. "Not now though. I'm afraid I'm a tad busy at the moment. Shall we meet in four days?" Sasuke numbly nodded his assent. "I would prefer to meet at night as well, frankly," the angel confessed, taking a step back. "I know of a beautiful meadow just at the skirts of this city. If you follow that church spire over there, the shadow at six o'clock points you in the correct direction. It isn't a far distance to travel. Would you still like to meet?"

"Yes, of course I would," Sasuke said smoothly. "In four days then, my new acquaintance."

"Four days," the angel agreed. They nodded (their customary goodbye) and began to walk past each other – when suddenly the angel spoke again. "I believe I did not tell you my name yet. You may call me Naruto."

Sasuke glanced back to see the angel grinning, eyes alight. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips before he could stop himself. "And mine is Sasuke."

* * *

_Naruto._

His name tasted like honey on Sasuke's tongue, rich and sweet and solid. The syllables wrapped around each other delicately, accentuating every consonant. A name fit for an angel.

(_he couldn't help but wonder what it would sound like in the singing notes of the angel tongue_)

And when he gave his report that night to Orochimaru, he didn't know why, but his sense of premonition refused to give the name up to his Master. To allow him to stain it with his serpentine hiss—no. He would not stain the light.

_This is my secret._

* * *

At seven o'clock, Sasuke was waiting in the meadow Naruto had described. It was indeed gorgeous; lush with greenness and foliage, accentuated with small sprays of blooming wildflowers here and there. The only thing missing was the angel.

Naruto arrived ten minutes past eight. His face lit up when he saw Sasuke. "I was unsure if you would arrive, truthfully," he confessed. "I was rather late."

"It's fine," Sasuke said, standing up from his spot under a tree. The sun had set by now, and the moon was rising steadily in the sky, dripping moonbeams across branches. Naruto stood next to him in the shadows.

Suddenly, after all his careful plotting and analyzing, Sasuke didn't know what to do. He had come to this moment—now how was he going to get close to the angel? What was he supposed to say? To act? What if he gave himself away? He risked a glance at Naruto, only to stop dead and _stare._

He could see why Orochimaru had said the night was the angel's domain. Certainly, even though they were under the trees' shadows, Naruto still glowed with his natural (glamoured) luminosity. It was unearthly, coupled with the moon. He imagined he could even see the very tips of Naruto's wings shining in the light. One look at Naruto's face, and he knew. He knew that this angel was different.

They talked for a good two hours about mundane things. Both skirted around the topic of their employment, and Naruto did a surprisingly wonderful job at avoiding any angel-like details. Sasuke, likewise, made sure he didn't mention anything related to wings. (For some reason, Naruto—he didn't want to kill Naruto.) Finally, their time drew to an end as Naruto stood from the damp grass, staring at the moon.

"I have been slacking." He sighed, but didn't look regretful. "It was wonderful conversing with you, Sasuke. I have never met a human like you."

(_that's because I'm not human_)

"Same," he said instead, clipping the word almost too short. There was a beat of hesitation, before he forced the words out of his mouth. "Do you want to do this again?"

"I would enjoy that. In ten days, then?" Or in other words, the day after the end of a cycle, just like today.

"Sure." That settled, they both waited a little awkwardly for the other to leave. Sasuke knew that lingering would do him no good; Naruto wouldn't fly away with him here. He wasn't stupid. Still, still, in a tiny corner of his mind, he hoped (_to see those wings_).

At last, he conceded defeat and began walking away from the meadow. "Goodbye, Naruto."

He heard a soft "Farewell, Sasuke" and a rustle. A second later, when he risked a glance back, all he could see was a speck in the sky, glowing gold and bright like a star.

* * *

Slowly, slowly, something began to shift.

Naruto was new. Unique. He had never encountered an angel quite like him before, and Sasuke didn't know how to react—so he let himself go.

He fell.

Their meetings were always interesting and engaging. Sometimes they talked logic, puzzling each other with questions that no ordinary human could solve. Other times they talked of their dreams, their ideals, and how beautiful the night sky was. Once, they talked about loved ones, and all Sasuke could say was, "They're all dead. Dead."

Naruto just smiled that sad smile of his, the one echoing of sorrow and empathy, and whispered, "So are mine."

The angel never ventured out from the shadows, and Sasuke knew it was because Naruto didn't want the moonlight to cast his shadow into relief and risk showing his wings (funny how he didn't care in broad daylight, Sasuke thought sourly). He didn't push it, though, and never questioned the angel. In fact, he was beginning to lose track of his mission—just a little.

(_a lot_)

Reports came fewer and shorter, usually a sentence that consisted of "I'm doing fine" and then leaving abruptly. Orochimaru took it in stride.

Being with Naruto opened Sasuke's eyes. He didn't think about Itachi and vengeance. He didn't think about flying or the wind in his non-existent feathers. He didn't think about killing and the lives he'd taken, he didn't think about the hatred he had for heaven, he didn't _think. _(And sometimes, just sometimes, he thought that maybe…maybe angels weren't so bad.)

On the other hand, Sasuke was still participating in the monthly Hunts. When he was away from Naruto, the angel's magnetic influence vanished, and his thoughts were of dark blood and thorny revenge. He laughed when he tore the wings from an angel's bowed back, relished in their screams, and took pride in winning another Hunt.

It was as if he was slowly being torn apart by warring personalities—the One-With-Naruto, and the One-Without-Naruto.

Sasuke could never tell what the angel was thinking. Did he know that Sasuke was a killer? Sometimes he hinted at it, in subtle threats of "Taking lives will bring no redemption" or "Mercy comes for those who spare others". His true emotions and thoughts were hidden behind those bright blue eyes and that brilliant smile.

(_do you think about me as much as I think about you?_)

* * *

One night, he saw Naruto's wings.

They'd met at least ten times by now. Sasuke whistled quietly as he strolled along the forest path that led to the meadow, anticipating the period of time before Naruto arrived so he could think up some new conversation topics.

This time, he arrived at the meadow—and froze.

Naruto was already there.

The Angel of Death was _never _there before him, and definitely he had never gone into the moonlight. Now, he was standing in the middle of the meadow, head tilted back and arms spread in the same pose from the water tower. His wings were still glamoured, but the shadow told the truth.

They were spread to their full length, quivering slightly and fluttering the way they only did when he got agitated. Sasuke's eyes traveled hungrily over the black shadow (_but not to devour – to appreciate, because he couldn't imagine tarnishing Naruto's beauty_).

"You do not find it strange, do you?" Naruto's voice was soft, and his eyes remained closed while his arms dropped to his sides. In his shadow, his wings curved, folding in. "My wings that you cannot see."

"You were always special. I just never knew…how special," Sasuke said, voice equally hushed. There was something mystical in this moment, with a half moon hanging low in the sky and dripping silver over Naruto's long limbs and lean body. "What are you?" And for a moment, he could believe that he really didn't know what Naruto was—that he was innocent in this whole mess.

"I am an angel, of course. What else?" Naruto laughed a little bitterly. "I am not even alive."

"Why did you reveal yourself now?" he asked curiously, genuinely surprised. He hadn't been expecting Naruto to reveal himself anytime soon, truthfully. But to expose himself now…either Naruto had figured him out, or something had changed.

Naruto's eyes flashed open and he stared into Sasuke's soul, blue eyes hauntingly bright in the moonlight. They were sharp with unshed grief. "I found the body of a friend today. She was my best friend, an angel such as me. Another victim of the petty crimes that have been occurring recently, I know, but—her _eyes_! I saw her eyes, and they were begging me to put her out of her misery even though she had already perished. Because for us angels, it is excruciating being trapped here on the mortal plane. It is stifling, and the worst thing of all is that because of those petty poachers, we cannot fly. They steal our wings for foolish human money with no care to the distress it causes us. Can you imagine, Sasuke? Flying one moment, soaring in the sky—and crawling on the ground the next, wingless and bleeding, in intense agony? Knowing that you will never see the sky again?" (_I do know it, I know that agony of not being able to fly_) "My best friend suffered it! My _best friend!_ And now I will never see her again, because not even I, taker of lives, can re-gift them. Is that not the most ironic twist of all?"

With a start, Sasuke realized that Naruto was crying, shedding crystal tears that vanished before they touched the ground. Whoever this best friend was—and killed by a Slayer group like him, he realized with a sinking heart—Naruto had cared deeply for her.

(_no no no his love should only be mine_)

"You can help me change it. Help me, Sasuke"—and all of a sudden, Naruto was in front of him, clutching Sasuke's hands and _pleading_ with those sky-blue eyes—"help me change it all."

This was the moment, the moment of truth. If he said yes, he would be abandoning Orochimaru and his dreams of vengeance…abandoning his clan. _No._ He couldn't—that was his family—he couldn't just leave them to suffer when Itachi walked free—

His mouth was moving on his own before he knew it, and could only watch as those eyes shattered to pieces. "No, I … I cannot."

Naruto dropped his hands like they were fire and backed away slowly, shaking his head (_and there is that angel over there, shaking his head in disgrace_). "You can, Sasuke. You can. But you won't."

He dropped his glamour with a burst of heat, rippling the grass and washing over Sasuke. He could only watch, a sick feeling rising in his stomach, as Naruto's wings shone, golden light sparking off every feather. Tears still trailed steadily down Naruto's face, but his features seemed set in stone, eyes shuttered. Without breaking eye contact, his wings beat once, lifting him off the ground.

_You still have a chance, Sasuke. You can still change your mind._

But he didn't. And his decision killed him, knowing that he was risking losing the only thing that made him feel _warm _inside—but he couldn't take it back.

Not when Itachi was on the line.

* * *

Sasuke still returned every ten days to Their Meadow, but Naruto was never there. Not anymore.

He even took to watching the cycles again, looking for a splash of golden hair or whiskers in the crowded streets. His heart rose every five days, anticipating the tingle in his bones at exactly eleven o'clock…only to be disappointed when, each time, it passed uneventfully.

It seemed that he really had ruined his chances, because Naruto wasn't coming back.

* * *

He kept quiet about this to Orochimaru. Let his Master believe that Sasuke was still utterly loyal to him. Let him believe that he still saw Naruto (or rather, to Orochimaru: the Angel of Death) every ten days.

In reality, Sasuke was questioning his lifestyle more and more. He wouldn't have lost Naruto, after all, if it wasn't for this. So what if killing angels brought him power? Naruto was—more important. Right? (_and when had this all changed?_)

This was all the angel's fault. It had to be. If only he hadn't revealed himself, if only he hadn't come to earth at all, Sasuke wouldn't be in this mess of feelings and betrayal and searing agony in a heart he thought had gone to stone. Gradually, over the course of numerous cycles where the Naruto still failed to appear, Sasuke simmered and descended into the familiar realm of anger. His temper became easier to ignite and the smallest things irritated him. Destroying angels was a mercy, a way to release his pent-up energy.

The monthly Hunt was coming up again, and Sasuke was looking forward to it. So he had let someone else in, an angel no less, and they had abandoned him without a second glance. How stupid he was! He would show the angels that it didn't matter who they sent; there was no stopping the Slayers.

It was fifteen minutes past their assigned meeting time and Karin had yet to show up. "Where is she?" Sasuke snapped, pacing angrily in front of the Orochimaru's den. Most of the other teams had left already, and he was feeling itchy with impatience (_to spill angel's blood on his hands_).

"Calm yourself," Suigetsu muttered, rolling his eyes and sighing loudly. "Y'know, you've been like this for a while now. Ever since…oh what was it, you saw that angel or something? With 'the beautiful eyes' and the 'sunshine hair' and the 'tan skin'?" He drew quotation marks in the air sarcastically.

Normally Sasuke would've ignored him, but his temper was already on the line. "Shut the fuck up, Suigetsu." His eyes were icy cold as they settled on his subordinate, who merely laughed cockily.

"Crossed a line here, did I? What, did this angel of yours leave you for some better angel when they figured out you _killed _them for a living? Huh?"

"Suigetsu, don't taunt him—" Juugo started, cautiously.

It was too late. "What do you know about betrayal? You were nothing in the first place, orphaned on the streets! And then you got captured by Orochimaru, which I can't say is much better—"

"At least I wasn't an angel before I got kicked out of heaven!"

Karin, who had just rounded the corner, stopped in her tracks and gaped. Juugo had paused too, confusion written on his face. Suigetsu was standing, shocked at what had come out of his mouth, eyes fixed on Sasuke. Their leader was trembling, fine tremors that were barely noticeable, his head dipped forward.

"I…I didn't mean to say that." Suigetsu's rough rasp broke the silence first. "I just heard it from Orochimaru a long time ago…and…"

"Forget it. Let's just go." Sasuke turned on his heel and walked stonily away, an indifferent look on his face. Karin shot a glance at Suigetsu, his guilt-filled eyes glued on the ground. He shook his head and left to follow Sasuke. Juugo shrugged and Karin tagged along at the end, knowing instinctively that she had just missed something very important.

* * *

They settled back into their pattern of hunting easily, the lingering topic fading in the air between them. Karin still darted worried, little looks between her teammates, but stayed quiet as she focused on finding a strong enough aura to please Sasuke. Juugo was staking out their territory for the night—Sasuke had chosen the stretch of city that was on the fringe of the forest for this Hunt.

(_he ignored the fact that Their Meadow was included in his territory_)

Team Hebi had waited for about an hour before finally Karin said, "I found an angel."

Sasuke nodded at Suigetsu, who was carrying a burlap bag. "What did you find to attract it?"

"There were no homeless bums around, unfortunately, but I found a dog." Suigetsu wiggled the bag a bit and a yelp sounded. Sasuke nodded once, again, and faced Juugo.

"Be in position to subdue, as normal. Karin, get in place for the aura net. I'll be around."

They were attracting the angel in the forest this time, hoping that Suigetsu's terrorizing of the dog would be enough to draw the angel here. It was difficult with the trees in place, but at last Karin had wrestled the aura net into place, creating a dome-like structure that would be easy to seal once the prey appeared. And once again, they played the waiting game.

It didn't take very long, to Sasuke's surprise. As soon as the angel came into sight, he knew why. Suigetsu was lucky, for once—this angel's specialty was animals, and it felt the pull stronger with animals rather than humans.

(_Sasuke didn't notice that he had unconsciously slipped back into 'it'…because only Naruto was reserved for 'him'_)

It entered the dome, eyes fixated on the whimpering white dog trembling in the center, oblivious to the threats around it. With a hissed _'go!'_, Juugo was in the net-dome and Sasuke swiftly after.

It was short work. The angel's cries fell on impervious ears, and Sasuke, feeling the anger swirl inside him again, decided to take his anger out on it as it continued to _scream. _He slipped the katana from his back and brutally stabbed the angel in the stomach, watching with sick satisfaction as it crumpled to the ground, wings arched and keening. The angel suffered a few more cuts and bruises before Juugo finally muttered, quietly, "Sasuke…this isn't like you."

And it was true. Sasuke despised angels (_or did he_) but he usually didn't go so far. He was conscious of their suffering and tried to minimize it as much as possible while still leaving them to die, which was more than they could say for some of the other teams—they had seen the corpses before, mutilated and missing arms and sometimes even eyes; decapitated, dismembered, disemboweled. They'd seen it all before…just not with Sasuke. It was unsettling watching their normally calm, collected, impassive leader be reduced to an angry, seething mess within a matter of weeks.

"You don't know me," Sasuke answered through gritted teeth, but he forced his hand to let go of the katana, hearing it fall on the ground with a soft thump. He would not be reduced to Orochimaru's standards. He couldn't. "Give me your sword," he told Suigetsu, who handed it over accordingly. Sasuke stood over the angel, ready to slash the wings off as usual, when—

A searing light burned the sky and lit up the forest, blinding Sasuke's eyes as heat blistered across his skin. As soon as the initial shock faded, he forced his eyes open…and felt his heart stop.

It was Naruto, standing terrible and tall in his shining glory with the angel in his arms, floating above the torn aura net. A thrill went down Sasuke's spine when he realized that Naruto had broken _through _the net; none had ever accomplished that feat before, and if Naruto had done it with ease—how strong was he?

His team was frozen as well beside him. Karin's mouth was open, glasses glinting as they reflected the light of Naruto's wings, spread in the air and gently fanning up and down. Sasuke locked eyes with the angel, waiting for him to say something. Anything. (_why didn't you come back earlier what did I do can I fix it oh no the look in his eyes_)

And then Naruto spoke.

"It was too much to expect for you to change, wasn't it."

His voice was solemn and nearly silent. Sasuke could've mistaken it for the wisp on the wind if he hadn't seen Naruto's mouth move in accordance.

"I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps you were being forced into this by your leader. Perhaps you had a reason for this besides revenge. Perhaps, the rumors were not true, and Uchiha Sasuke was not a bitter Slayer killing angels for their wings. I wanted to believe you. But you made that impossible." Naruto's eyes burned into him, and all Sasuke's could see in them was _judgment_. "I still want to save you, Sasuke. You have a purpose besides this, I know that. You know that. It is up to you if you want to accept that or not. You can leave all these behind—you can learn the truth about your clan and the truth about Itachi. He did not exile your clan for power, did you know? He did it because they were plotting with Orochimaru to bring heaven down."

Fury rose hot and fast inside Sasuke, and the thin edge he'd been walking on for the past few days tipped over. "Don't disrespect my clan by staining their name with Orochimaru's! We have nothing to do with that snake. He Fell. We were exiled by my traitor of a brother. Do you think I don't know that?"

"You do not know the whole truth, and you will not accept it from me. _I_ know that. But I am telling you the truth, whether you believe it or not," Naruto replied calmly, still gazing at Sasuke. "I can tell you care for your family. I can also tell that you care for me, enough to look for me while I was gone." Sasuke opened his mouth to retort, but Naruto cut him off. "I was looking for you as well, truthfully. We have grown too attached to each other, far beyond what we should have done. However, my duty still lies with heaven and my angels and the souls I have sworn to protect, no matter how much I care for you. I cannot allow this"—he glanced sorrowfully down at the angel lying still in his arms, wings drooping—"to ever occur again. I did not want this to happen, Sasuke. I tried to save you. You did not accept."

"And what if I didn't want to be saved?"

(_what if I do, but I just don't know how_)

"I will keep trying. Believe me, Sasuke, I will not give up on you yet." Naruto looked up at the sky, lit with a sprinkle of brilliant stars and a full, plump moon. "It is time for me to go. We will meet one more time, and this next time it will decide our futures. Till later, Sasuke." The last three words were whispered so gently that he barely heard them as he raised his arms above his face, shielding it from the stinging wind that Naruto's departure produced.

As soon as the glow faded from the forest, Suigetsu, Juugo, and Karin exhaled collectively, stunned.

"W-what the hell did we just see?" Suigetsu asked aloud to nobody in particular, rubbing his eyes. Juugo shook his head mutely. Interestingly enough, it was Karin who summed up everyone's thoughts with six succinct words.

"He was an angel… of angels."

* * *

Orochimaru was pleased when he heard the news, to say the least. He even forgave their team for failing to retrieve a pair of wings (something the other teams gaped at).

"You made the right choice," he proclaimed, a smirk curled around his pale lips. "Now, when you meet the angel next, we can take back what is rightfully ours."

"Yes, we can," Sasuke echoed, eyes gazing past Orochimaru's shoulder, unfocused. It was the right thing to do. It had to have been, because this time he had truly risked everything. (_and is your family worth it_)

"Your mission is almost complete. We just have one last task to do before we can truly achieve our goal." Sasuke remained silent. "Kill the angel! After it brings us back into heaven, _destroy _it. It is your duty. Understood?"

"My duty," he whispered. "…Understood."

* * *

They met exactly ten days later, cruelly ironic. The tug of premonition pulled in Sasuke's chest, and he left Orochimaru's den without a word, unaware that golden eyes were watching him gleefully and maliciously.

He arrived at the meadow in a haze, blank and knowing only one goal. Naruto was waiting for him in the moonlight. For some reason tonight, the moon wasn't shining as brightly as it used to—or rather, as brightly as Sasuke remembered. It seemed to wash out Naruto's colors, leaving bleach-pale-yellow hair and washed-out-blue eyes. The only thing that remained the same was the golden glow that still caressed Naruto's skin.

"You came," the angel said sadly. "I was hoping you would not."

"I have to kill you," Sasuke answered in return. "But first you have to take me to heaven."

"I was ordered to kill you as well, and not to let you return to heaven at any cost." Naruto sighed, shaking his head. "We were pawns in the end, Sasuke. Useless, wordless pawns for our masters."

That penetrated the dream-like daze Sasuke had been in, and he stirred himself to glare at Naruto. "A pawn? I am no one's pawn."

"You believe you are no one's pawn," Naruto corrected, head turning to look somewhere behind Sasuke. "But you are wrong. Step out, filthy snake. I know you are there."

Orochimaru's familiar hissing laugh echoed through the meadow, and Sasuke turned slowly to see his Master drifting like smoke from the trees. Ice settled around his limbs, freezing him in place (_Orochimaru's magic_)and the wind roared wildly in his ears. "Orochimaru?"

"I believe the rules have not changed, have they, Angel of Death?"

"Truthfully, I prefer the term Guider of Souls, but I suppose they are the same."

"You have not answered my question."

Naruto sighed again, bowing his head under Orochimaru's sneering gaze. Even his feathers seemed to wilt. "No, they have not changed."

"What rules?" Sasuke asked, head turning from Orochimaru to Naruto. His gut twisted. (_is Orochimaru going to… he wouldn't_)

Naruto's voice was empty. "If a sacrifice is presented to the Angel of Death and a request to enter heaven is made, it can be granted for a short amount of time. However the sacrifice must have had connections with heaven once upon a time, be it called back from death…or a former angel."

(_he would_)

"A short amount of time is sufficient for me to take down heaven, and your _master _must know that I am coming, angel." Orochimaru grinned, tongue snaking out to test the air. "You two really are just pawns in the end. How fitting. Now, I must give my thanks, dear Sasuke, for presenting me this opportunity. I promise I will destroy Itachi for you in return."

"I never really had a chance of going back into heaven, did I," Sasuke murmured hollowly. _Is this my destiny, to be betrayed by everyone I thought I knew? _

"You didn't." Orochimaru began to glide toward Sasuke, mouth stretching open to grotesque sizes and tongue unfurling to reveal a gilded sword. "Keep still and this will all be over quickly." And Sasuke could only watch, limbs deadened by whatever magic Orochimaru had managed to cast in the seconds before he came, waiting for death to accept him.

(_so this is how those angels must feel perhaps I should have tried harder to make their suffering less painful they say what comes around goes around isn't that called karma I wish I had told Naruto I wish I could see him again I wish I could touch him and feel his feathers just once I wish I could live so I could say goodbye_)

His eyes closed, waiting for the cold bite of steel to pierce his body.

"_No!_"

The loud cry rang through the forest, and a flash of light so bright that Sasuke could see it even through his closed eyes scorched the meadow. Wind whipped like a tornado through the field, and breathless, he dared to open his eyes, unsure of what he would see before him.

Heady, dizzying relief rushed through his body as he saw Naruto standing, wings spread like a shield before Sasuke. Then worry chased the relief as he saw blood spreading on Naruto's white clothes, staining it almost black. "I am fine." Naruto's voice was cracked, but he smiled. "Wait for me, Sasuke. This will be over quickly."

With a snarl, Orochimaru ripped himself off the ground, sword still clenched in his hand. Naruto's back tensed, and then they were off again, shooting at each other so quick that Sasuke's eyes spun trying to keep up. This was like a reincarnation of the fights he had witnessed in heaven, with the warriors sparring—darting flashes of light, the clang of metal and the hiss of power. Orochimaru shot spells at Naruto at a frantic rate, binding spells, crippling spells, and even death spells. Naruto evaded them all, and retaliated similarly.

And then, all of a sudden, Naruto was jolting back, wings arching as he curled around his stomach. Sasuke's heart jumped into his throat as he realized that the sword was protruding from Naruto's back, Orochimaru's insane laughter humming in his ears. He tried to move toward the angel, but cursed when Orochimaru's binding magic held strong. "Naruto!" he shouted.

At his voice, Naruto jerked up again, tossing the sword from his stomach even as he winced in pain. His wings blurred as they propelled him toward Orochimaru; not expecting such a quick recovery, Orochimaru barely had time to raise his hands before he was stumbling back from a magic-undoing spell. Naruto shot a frantic glance over his shoulder to Sasuke, who instantly understood. He was free to move now, at least for a little. Nodding grimly (_I won't fail you_) he dashed for the sword. The weight was heavy in his hands, but he could adjust.

He turned back toward Naruto, and his heart throbbed in his throat, pulsing wildly. Naruto was in Orochimaru's grasp, pale hand clenched tight around his angel's throat. Sasuke froze again for a second—not because of Orochimaru's magic, but because he was too uncertain to move. Then Naruto locked eyes with him, and he knew. It was okay. They would make it through this.

The sword entered Orochimaru cleanly, neatly. He turned with a shocked expression on his face, golden eyes glimmering once in anger before dulling. His body fell into the grass with a whisper of sound…and for the first time in a long time, Sasuke could breathe easily.

Even former angels were not immune to a sword through the heart. Orochimaru had stood no chance.

In the next second, he was enveloped in warmness and soft murmurs as Naruto's wings folded around them both, creating a haven where they were safe for the moment. Sasuke laughed weakly as he returned the hug, closing his eyes and breathing in Naruto's smell of sunshine and brightness. "I thought… I thought we were both going to die."

"So did I," Naruto mumbled, burying his face into Sasuke neck. "So did I."

"I'm sorry," Sasuke said after a while, breaking the silence again.

Naruto pulled back to stare at him, blue eyes solemn (_and they were no longer washed out, but brilliantly blue, like the sky was staring at him right now_). "You made it in the end, Sasuke, and that is all that matters."

Sasuke smiled a tiny smile, and they both bent toward each other at the same time. The kiss was soft and sweet, singing of respite and feathers. After they broke apart, Sasuke leaned his forehead on Naruto's and breathed. It was enough, just to breathe.

All too soon, Naruto was breaking away and staring down at Orochimaru's body. "He is finished, and so is his organization. If you want to go back, I will not stop you." His eyes pleaded (_don't go when I just found you_).

"That's done for me," Sasuke said, and he meant it as he gazed at his former Master. In the end, even Orochimaru had proved faulty. The only one who had stayed by his side till the end…was Naruto. "But—what now?"

"Indeed." Naruto sighed. "Heaven gave me permission to destroy Orochimaru. Afterwards, they said I would be given free rein of what I would be allowed to do concerning you. And it only depends on you, Sasuke. If you wish to repent and apologize, you will be allowed back in heaven; but only if you promise not to seek vengeance on your brother."

"I…"

"At least listen to his side of the story. Promise me that much." Naruto grasped Sasuke's hand again.

He nodded his head in defeat (he could never stand against those eyes). "I promise."

Unexpectedly, Naruto grinned, and foreboding swelled inside Sasuke. He resisted the urge to back away at the glimmer in Naruto's eyes.

His next words didn't make it any better.

"Now you get to die!"

* * *

It turned out that to get into heaven, you did have to sacrifice a life. If you wanted to get in with your current body, and not as a ghost, you would have to sacrifice someone else. If you wanted to just get in period, you had to give up your body.

Dying was painless. Almost like being exiled—you were out before you knew it.

Entering heaven was exhilarating. Sasuke still loved flying and the feeling of the wind in his hair, and he almost smiled when he saw the familiar whiteness of his former home.

Judgment was not so fun. It was a painful and annoying process he hadn't went through before, even when he was getting exiled. The angels in charge were old and gray, and even Naruto was yawning by the time the sentence was handed down. Sasuke was going to get a-hundred-and-fifty years (which was basically nothing in the angelic world) of community service for the previously human souls and a repent for every angel life he'd taken. They were standing to leave when an angel burst into the room, bandaged and badly limping.

Sasuke recognized him immediately.

"You're telling me he only gets _one-fifty _years of community service? For killing Hinata and nearly killing _me_?!" the angel yelled at the judges. It was the angel from the last Hunt Sasuke had been on; the one that Naruto had saved.

"Kiba, calm down," Naruto said anxiously, stepping away from Sasuke's side.

The angel spun wildly to face him. "Don't stand up for him, Naruto! They killed Sakura too, remember? It may not have been this guy, former angel, whatever, but they still killed her! Don't you feel like you should get vengeance? Don't tell me you _love _him."

"What if I do? It's not forbidden." Naruto stepped in front of Sasuke, wings flaring. "I forgive him. If we hold our grudges, we will never bring anyone peace—and to bring peace is our duty, Kiba. We have to forgive."

"I would forgive him if he went to _hell_—"

Sasuke pushed Naruto aside, facing the angel. He had to take responsibility for this, since it was his fault. He had taken the lives, more or less, with his own hands, and from his time as an angel, he knew how serious it was. "Listen, Kiba, I…I'm sorry. I know it doesn't mean much to you, but I really am sorry, and I don't apologize often. I know I was wrong—but I was just so angry at my brother. Don't yell at Naruto. He has nothing to do with this."

Kiba opened his mouth again, black eyes flashing, only to be cut off by a smooth monotone voice that Sasuke had never once forgotten.

"Sasuke."

He spun, eyes widening. "Itachi."

His brother was the same as he had remembered—angels hardly changed as the years went by, after all. His eyes were still as cool as ever, and…Sasuke still couldn't read him.

"Itachi!" Naruto called from his side, waving. To his surprise, his brother even waved back (it was, albeit, a small flip of his hand, but it was still a _wave_). This was not the same cold-blooded traitor that had thrown his clan out, and the first tendrils of doubt burst in Sasuke's stomach. Maybe Naruto was right. Maybe, maybe, Itachi had had a reason.

It turned out he did. Naruto smiled and left them alone, along with Kiba, and they talked for hours. Sasuke was reluctant to believe it, but the Uchiha clan had been cooperating with Orochimaru to destroy heaven. Itachi had been ordered by the higher ups to either exile the clan himself for a 'reward' of a higher promotion, or have them annihilated by warrior angels, leaving no survivors. "I had to save you, even if you were a human and hated me as a result." Itachi sighed softly, looking at the place where Sasuke's wings had once been. "I am sorry."

"I understand," Sasuke answered. "I can't forgive you yet, but I understand."

"Yet," Itachi echoed with a gentle smile. "Thank you."

Naruto met him after his meeting with Itachi. "You look overwhelmed," he remarked, latching onto Sasuke's hand again.

"It's a little hard to take in," he admitted, looking at the blue sky above them—even heaven had a sky. Naruto's eyes, however, were still bluer than heaven. "I'm back."

"Come on," Naruto said, tugging his hand to get him to move faster. "I can show you around and get you reacquainted. You will be staying with me, of course." He grinned, and Sasuke's heart warmed. "Although there really is no reason to rush. We have forever for this, after all."

Perhaps Sasuke's life wasn't back to the way it was Before. Perhaps he wasn't an angel anymore and he had none of the hatred left in him that had characterized him. Perhaps he was dead, a human soul, and had an angel brother that had sacrificed their family to save them. Perhaps he was beyond true redemption, after all the lives he had taken without a thought.

His life wasn't perfect, true—but he had Naruto with his gorgeous eyes and smile and wings, and that was enough for Sasuke.

* * *

**Edit: **6/22/13. I know the ending kind of sucks. I admit it, I got a little lazy. Thank you for all those who pointed it out to me and left constructive criticism; I appreciate it. One day I'll go back and try to adjust it, but until then... thank you if you read all of it anyway and was able to put up with it :) I hope you still enjoyed at least a little bit of _To the Midnight Land_.

**A/N: **Happy endings! With angst! :D Fighting scenes are never my forte, haha... So I kinda mushed that part together. Oops. Hopefully everything makes sense, like the process of the Hunts and Slayers and stuff. (Essentially, the Hunts need some sort of bait - bums - and fighting - kicking the crap out of the bums - to draw the angels, who sense them and try to do good by saving the bums.) Hinata was the first angel to die, Sakura was Naruto's best friend, and Kiba was the last angel. If you still didn't understand something, tell me :P

I thought of the ending section as a little epilogue sorta thing. He goes back into heaven, and everything is resolved but not perfect, because nothing's perfect, you know? I tried to make this whole oneshot parallel to canon, a little, so this is what happens if Sasuke were to return. (Which I don't think he will, but wishful thinking.)

Not much SasuNaru, sorry. I was focusing more on the plot :/ I want to write something with actual SasuNaru stuff in it one of these days, like lots of interactions! Gah! ;w;

One last thing: I was thinking of making a sequel to this, or maybe the appropriate term is companion story. It would be in Naruto's POV and it would explain more about the hierarchy of heaven and archangels and such, so tell me if you guys want me to make it, cuz I almost never feel like making sequels xD That said, please leave a review or a critique! I love both, and I would love you forever for managing to read through this monster.

Thanks for reading :)

~Demon's Requiem


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